eautiful
pleasure-grounds, its ornamented lawns, and its stately avenues, he
felt that there was something worth making a struggle for, even at the
expense of conscience, when he contemplated, with the cravings of an
ambitious heart, the spirit of rich and deep repose in which the whole
gorgeous spectacle lay.

On reaching the hall he rang, and in a few minutes was admitted to his
friend, Lord Cullamore.

Lord Cullamore was remarkable for that venerable dignity and graceful
ease, which, after all, can only result from early and constant
intercourse with polished and aristocratic society. This person was
somewhat above the middle size, his eye clear and significant, his
features expressive, and singularly indicative of what he felt or said.
In fact, he appeared to be an intelligent, candid man, who, in addition
to that air bestowed upon him by his rank and position, and which could
never for a moment be mistaken, was altogether one of the best specimens
of his class. He had neither those assumptions of hateful condescension,
nor that eternal consciousness of his high birth, which too frequently
degrade and disgrace the commonplace and vulgar nobleman; especially
when he makes the privileges of his class an offence and an oppression
to his inferiors, or considers it a crime to feel or express those noble
sympathies, which, as a first principle, ought to bind him to that class
by whom he lives, and who constitute the great mass of humanity, from
whose toil and labor originate the happiness of his order. When in
conversation, the natural animation of his lordship's countenance was
checked, not only by a polite and complacent sense of what was due to
those with whom he spoke, and a sincere anxiety to put them at their
ease, but evidently by an expression that seemed the exponent of some
undivulged and corroding sorrow. We may add, that he was affectionate,
generous, indolent; not difficult to be managed when he had no strong
purpose to stimulate him; keen of observation, but not prone to
suspicion; consequently often credulous, and easily imposed upon; but,
having once detected fraud or want of candor, the discovery was certain
forever to deprive the offending party of his esteem--no matter what
their rank or condition in life might be.

We need scarcely say, therefore, that this, amiable nobleman, possessing
as he did all the high honor and integrity by which his whole life was
regulated, (with one solitary exception, fo